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BE THERE OR BE SQUARE
Thomasito

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The Casebook of Constable Crab page 7

"Harrumph!"

"My goodness!" squealed Dinah.

"Holy smoke!" said Constable Crab, "Who are YOU?"

"I am a FRIENDLY VULTURE, my dears! My friends and I have been watching the progress of this little lost dinosaur--and we were disap--uh--happy--to see that she has met and been befriended by the famous Constable Crab. My friends have appointed ME to invite you--BOTH of you, of course--to a little late afternoon PARTY!"

"A PARTY?" said Dinah.

"Yes, dear little one--a party."

"Just a minute", said Constable Crab, "just WHAT kind of party is it?"

"What kind of party would you like?" asked the vulture.

"A PIZZA PARTY!" cried Dinah.

"Strange," said the vulture, "That is just the kind of party it is!"

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The Casebook of Constable Crab page 6

"These little dinosaur tracks are as plain as the nose on my face!" said Constable Crab. "We should have you home in a jiffy!"

"Goody-me!" said Dinah.

"Harrumph!!" said a loudly, gruffly voice from the jungle beside the path.

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The Casebook of Constable Crab page 5

"Did you come along the beach or through the trees?" asked Constable Crab.

"Through the trees, I think." Dinah replied. "Though I am not even sure of that, I got so scared!"

"Lets look for footprints." said the alert constable. "Lucky for us the ground is soft all around here."

Constable Crab searched around in the trees and soon found what he was looking for--

"A-ha! Look! Right here leading back into the forest--DINOSAUR TRACKS! SMALL dinosaur tracks!! YOUR dinosaur tracks! If we can follow them in the fading light, we'll soon have you home!"

"I hope so!" said Dinah. "I REALLY hope so!"

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The Casebook of Constable Crab page 4

"Do you have any idea how long you were on the warpath?" Constable Crab asked Dinah,"That would give us some idea of how far your home is?"

"We decided to play "cowboys and indians" when I came out to play after my afternoon nap--I wanted to be an indian and I took the warpath, of course, and it seems that I was on THAT path a VERY long time!"

"War paths DO seem to go on forever," said Constable Crab, "but since it is just now evening, I don't think you COULD be so VERY far from home! Were you walking fast?"

"Not VERY fast", said Dinah, "because being all by myself on the warpath was kind of scary!"

"Always is!" said Constable Crab.

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The Casebook of Constable Crab page 3

"I am happy to help you! Don't be sad--I am Constable Crab and helping others is not only my work but also my play!"

"My name is Dinah." said the very young dinosaur with a sniff. "I was playing cowboys and indians with my friends--and I took the war path--and (sniff!) I guess I took it too far--and and now I don't know how to get back home!"

"I see your war paint." said the friendly constable, "Now lets solve the problem of where you live!"

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The Casebook of Constable Crab page 2

"It's a DINOSAUR!" Constable Crab gasped."As I live and breathe--and a YOUNG DINOSAUR at that!

The dinosaur looked back at Constable Crab with a very sad look on its face.

"I AM a young dinosaur, sir--and a very LOST young dinosaur. Could you help me, please? I want to go HOME!"

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Constable Crab page 1

"Ahem!" said Constable Crab.

"So you want to hear the story of The Dinasaur Who Wanted to go Home, do you?

Well, this is how it went.

I was taking my evening stroll down at the beach as is my usual custom not long ago--when I heard some strange noises which seemed to be coming from the bushes near the sand.

Of course I became interested immediately since it was too late for any of the usual beach activities to be going on.

First I listened intently!

The noises seemed to be a cross between a moan and a wail--and an...well, I don't know---but it was VERY strange!

You may be sure I approached the jungle shrubs with utmost caution!


I parted the plants slowly, slowly with my claws and WHAT do you think I SAW???"

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The Casebook of Constable Crab

That was a good story of soup!

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Everybody likes a good mystery and so I am going to relate to you some of the stories from the adventures of my old friend Constable Crab.

My first tale--from the famous Casebook of Constable Crab--is called: "The Dinosaur Who Wanted to go Home".

Uncle Tom

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All the neighbors scurried home to get the things they wanted to put into the stone soup--and they returned just as quickly as they could.

Then each put the thing they had brought into the boiling pot and before long the Stone Soup was ready to serve and eat!

"May this village always have GOOD LUCK and GOOD SOUP!" exclaimed the young soldier as he ladled a big bowlful of soup into the waiting bowl of the oldest resident.

"And may YOU live long and well-- to give this wonderful recipe to many more hungry people!" the farmer said to the young soldier.

Soon everyone had soup (and freshly baked rolls) and before long all had eaten their fill (including the young soldier, of course) but the Stone Soup Party as it was always remembered in the days to come had only just begun!

Old George HAD brought his fiddle and rosined up his bow and so the villagers danced, sang and had a wonderful time.

When it was time for the young soldier to continue on his journey, he thanked them all and gave the farmer the soup stone--so they could always have more Stone Soup whenever they were hungry.

These villagers of long ago never forgot the recipe and if you travel to that village even today, they may invite you to join them in some delicious, tasty Stone Soup.

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Stone Soup page twelve

"And I have some good onions I can put in!" said another neighbor.

"I have some fresh carrots!" said another.

"I have some celery!" added another.

"And I have some home-grown tomatoes!!" said another.

"Clean 'em. Chop 'em and throw 'em in!" smiled the young soldier. This Stone Soup will be the BEST EVER!"


"And I will fetch some of MY fresh baked bread rolls." added a jolly-looking young woman. They always taste good with soup!"

"Wonderful!" exclaimed the young soldier. "This plain Stone Soup is turning into a hearty meal!"

"Someone go wake Old George!" someone shouted, "and tell him to bring his fiddle and rosin up his bow--it looks like we're gonna have a STONE SOUP PARTY!"

And every one smiled, laughed and begin to skip and hum their favorite songs!

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Stone Soup page eleven

"I have a lot of potatoes I have just dug!" said one of the neighbors.

"Could I peel and dice a few of them and add them to the soup?"

"Of course!" said the young soldier--I'm sure some fresh potatoes--right out of your field--would add some interest and nutrition to our Stone Soup!"

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Stone Soup page ten

"I have some salt right here!" said the farmer's wife.

"May I put into into the soup myself?"

"Of course you may!" said the young soldier.

"Stone soup can only be improved by the good things people are inspired to add!"

"Then I would like to also put in a small handful of my very own seasoning mix--good kitchen herbs and spices which I have picked and dried myself!"

"I am sure your spices will improve this already tasty Stone Soup" replied the young soldier.

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Stone Soup page nine

The neighbors soon filled the farm kitchen to overflowing.

Everyone was carrying a soup bowl and a spoon and they were all agog over the idea of their first taste of Stone Soup!

The stone had boiled a while so the young soldier reached in a ladle and carefully blew on the hot liquid until the contents were cool-- then he took a small sip.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" He said.

"Now THAT is what I call STONE SOUP!!!!"

VERY good!

BUT--with just a little SALT it would be even BETTER!!"

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Stone Soup page eight

Very soon the neighbors started to arrive and when several had gathered around the kitchen fire and the big pot of boiling water the young soldier said:

"Now watch carefully!!

I am going to drop this fine soup stone, which I found not far from here, into the boiling water--and that is absolutely ALL I am going to put into the pot.

You will soon be amazed by taking a taste of delicious Stone Soup and I hope you have all brought your biggest soup bowls and soup spoons because I am sure there will be plenty for all!!!"

With this the young soldier gingerly dropped the stone into the pot!

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Stone Soup page seven

"NOW--before your neighbors start to arrive," said the young soldier, "lets get started!"

"Make sure your kitchen fire is made up for some cooking and put on a BIG pot of fresh water"

"I will wash this nice STONE and make sure it is all ready--then--as soon as the water starts to boil, I will add the stone and we will all SOON eat some TASTY SOUP!"

"I can hardly believe it!" said the farmer and his wife agreed that she had never imagined such a thing.

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Stone Soup page six

"Wonderful idea!" exclaimed the householder.

"Timmy, my son--run to fetch as many neighbors as you can!

This stranger is going to treat us ALL to Stone Soup!

And you had better ask the neighbors to bring their own bowls and spoons since we may not have enough utensils for all---

But we will have PLENTY of good Stone Soup!"

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Stone Soup page five

"This is my good wife, Mary." said the householder to the young soldier.

"She does most of the cooking around here and she would also like to know about your Stone Soup."

"I will not only freely give you my own recipe for Stone Soup," said the young soldier, "but if you have but a large pot of fresh water and a good fire to heat it on--I will provide not only you but all your neighbors with some delicious Stone Soup-- if you would care to invite them over--and I am sure you will NEVER have eaten a better or tastier soup!"

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Stone Soup page four

"Come right in and welcome, Stranger!" said the big householder.

And as the young soldier walked through the door and into the cozy farm cottage the householder more cheerfully continued:

"Stone Soup, you say--Stone Soup?

I have lived in this same house-- boy and man-- for years and have never heard that the stones around here were good for anything but breaking plow shares!

Tell me more about this Stone Soup right now, if you please!"

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Stone Soup page three

A big housholder came to the door and asked gruffly: "Well! What do you want?"

"Friend, I am a stranger in your neighborhood and I wanted to tell you that I found, almost at your doorstep, a wonderful stone for making Stone Soup.

I thought you might want to know about your good fortune in having such stones readily available to you-- practically an endless supply of good Stone Soup!"

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Stone Soup page two

The young soldier stooped down and picked up the stone.

"You are going to get me my dinner!" He said to the stone and carefully put it into his pocket.

Then he walked into the little village and stopped and knocked at the door of the very first house he came to.

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